Tuesday, October 21, 2008

How To Raise An Athlete(?)

This isn't a guide but rather a plea for help.

We all know I'm as lazy as all hell- that is a given. If forced to choose, I will ALWAYS choose the couch over some sort of physical activity, even sex. Yes, honey, even sex. That's how deep my lazy runs. I truly don't know what it is that has been fueling my latest gym craze because normally I'd be eating Buffalo wings at my computer watching really cheesy Black comedies like The Seat Filler and Woo.

However, my lil baby is a natural athlete with so much energy and spunk and even a little bit of talent, and I don't know what to do for her to help her pursue a life in sports. I mean I know I should just enroll her in sports activities, but which ones? How many? How often?

See, she's 8, and she still thinks she can do it all. I still haven't explained to her that maybe she might want to pick one or two and stick to that, because watching her make plans to be the next female Michael Phelps while taking the NY Liberty to victory and winning gold medals in women's soccer and being the first woman ever to play for the Mets, while becoming a black belt in martial arts, beating the Chinese in gymnastics (for once!), raising a family, being a chef, an artist, a doctor and teacher, just makes me so proud!!

But I have to keep it real. She's gonna need to narrow it down, but my flighty-ass can barely get myself focused. Sometimes I think "sure, she can do it all" and then logic sets in and is like, "sure, if you want her to over-exert herself and die in her 30s!"

So, blog family, I'm in foreign territory right now... how do I proceed?

I know for a fact she's more serious about soccer, swimming and basketball. Do I dare have her do all three at once? Do the seasons conflict with each other? Am I ODing on the extracurricular activities for her? Will her little body be able to stand it?

Inquiring mommies want to know...

*smooches...actually admitting to a part of parenting I'm not equipped to handle*----------well, at least not on my own. and my ex is not really a big help... he usually just goes along with whatever I say, so I want to hear from people who have kids who are athletes, or people who grew up playing sports...

Jaded Since 1975

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